Daily OMI tropospheric NO2 (air pollution) measurements over The Netherlands and Western Europe

The Netherlands and Western Europe air pollution (last 24 hours)

Today's satellite air quality measurements are available around 15:00 hours GMT for Europe. OMI (on
the EOS-Aura satellite) passes over
Europe around 12:45 hours (GMT) and it takes another 2-2.5 hours before the data are available here.
The most recent air quality measurements can be viewed in Google Earth.
The TEMIS web site
contains a limited archive of air quality and air pollution Google Earth files.

The satellite retrievals are KNMI property. For request to
use the OMI nitrogen dioxide images please contact the
press office of KNMI

The OMI near-real time nitrogen dioxide web page is not an
operational product. The timely availability of the images
is not guaranteed and may be temporarily interrupted in case
of system maintenance.

Archive OMI news

2014

Ozone Layer on the Road to Recovery

Date: 17 09 2014

Earth's protective ozone layer is on track for recovery within the next few decades according to a new assessment by 282 scientists from 36 countries. The abundance of most ozone-depleting substances in the atmosphere has dropped since the last assessment in 2010, and stratospheric ozone depletion has leveled off and is showing some signs of recovery. These observations were the headlines of the recent "Assessment for Decision-Makers," part of a larger report to be released in early 2015 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

“Killer” trees? Not Exactly

Date: 16 07 2014

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan claimed that trees produce more air pollution than automobiles, fueling a spate of jokes about "killer trees." He was mostly wrong, but not completely.
It is true that forests emit volatile organic compounds and reactive hydrocarbons such as isoprene, a chemical that contributes to air pollution. Although isoprene is harmless by itself, the gas reacts with other substances in the atmosphere to form certain types of fine aerosols and ground-level ozone.

An AURA of Success

Date: 15 07 2014

On the 10th anniversary of the launch of NASA's Aura spacecraft, NASA's Earth Observatory features 10 examples of how the satellite has changed our view of dust, pollution, aerosols, and ozone in our atmosphere.

Put a Lid on It

Date: 27 06 2014

In 1998, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) called on 22 eastern states to develop plans to significantly reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), a group of highly reactive gases released by combustion engines, electric power plants, and a range of industrial activities. NOx is a precursor to ozone, while nitrogen dioxide has some harmful health effects. In 2005, the EPA issued the Clean Air Interstate Rule, a regulation that encouraged states to use a cap-and-trade system to further reduce emissions of NOx.

New NASA Images Highlight U.S. Air Quality Improvement

Date: 26 06 2014

Anyone living in a major U.S. city for the past decade may have noticed a change in the air. The change is apparent in new NASA satellite images unveiled this week that demonstrate the reduction of air pollution across the country.
After ten years in orbit, the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA's Aura satellite has been in orbit sufficiently long to show that people in major U.S. cities are breathing less nitrogen dioxide - a yellow-brown gas that can cause respiratory problems.

A clearer view of hazy skies

Date: 14 06 2014

When astronauts talk about viewing Earth from space, the conversation often turns to the planet's mesmerizing beauty. They describe views of aquamarine coral reefs glimmering amidst the deep blue ocean; of armies of sand dunes marching across deserts; of clouds and lightning flashes dancing through the atmosphere

Artic Ozone in Spring

Date: 08 06 2014

Though Earth's ozone layer has been depleted over the past four decades by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and similar chemical compounds, the changes are expressed differently at the North and South Pole. While a large ozone hole forms consistently every year over Antarctica, the concentration of Arctic ozone is much more variable. The differences occur because the weather patterns are very different.

2013

OMI Science Team Meeting 18

Sulfur dioxide increasing over India

Date: 20 12 2013

Emissions of sulfur dioxide from power plants in India increased by more than 60 percent between 2005 and 2012 according to new analysis of data from NASAâ€™s Aura satellite. Led by Zifeng Lu of Argonne National Laboratory, the study was published online on December 5, 2013, in Environmental Science &amp Technology.

Antarctic Ozone Hole in 2013

Date: 04 11 2013

According NASA's Ozone Hole Watch team and based upon a combination of ozone column data from OMI and from the Ozone Monitoring and Profiler Suite (OMPS) on the NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite, the ozone hole over Antarctica was slightly smaller in 2013 than the average for recent decades. The combined set of satellite data showed an the average size of the hole in September-October 2013 of 21.0 million square kilometers. The average size since the mid 1990s is 22.5 million square kilometers.

Satellites improve air quality monitoring in South Africa

Date: 26 08 2013

Economic development often means an increase of harmful gases into the atmosphere. ESA's GlobEmission project uses satellite data to monitor atmospheric pollution from emissions.

State-of-the-art satellite measurements and computer models are used to calculate the measured air pollutant concentrations back to their origins. This allows for improved emission estimates in terms of spatial consistency, temporal resolution, and for rapid availability.

More North American wildfire smoke observed over Europe

Date: 11 07 2013

In the beginning of July 2013, Canadian wildfires have lead to smoke plumes drifting over the Atlantic Ocean towards northern Europe. The wildfires are occurring throughout Canada, from British Columbia to Quebec. These smoke plumes have been detected by ground-based lidar systems in Europe, e.g. in Norway and the Netherlands.

Smoke from Colorado wildfires reaches Europe

Date: 28 06 2013

On 25 June 2013, smoke from the large wildfires in Colorado (USA) reached Europe. This was seen in the OMI and GOME-2 aerosol images.

The smoke originated from large wildfires in Colorado, in the Rio Grande National Forest around West Fork. The wildfires started on 5 June and were caused by lightning strikes. The main burning material are the many dead trees killed by infestation with the mountain pine beetle. In combination with drought and, from 20 June onwards, strong surface winds (up to 50 mph), this resulted in raging fires. The excessive heat of the fires also caused pyrocumulus clouds. The meteorological conditions caused the smoke to be lifted rapidly to high altitudes (13 km according to Calipso lidar measurements). At high altitudes the smoke was transported to Europe.

Eruptions from Popacatépetl observed from space

Date: 20 06 2013

Popocatépetl (pronounced poh-poh-kah-TEH-peh-til), located about 70 km southeast of Mexico City, is one of Mexico’s presently most active volcanoes. Over the last 20 years it showed frequent venting from fumaroles punctuated by minor steam, gas, and ash emissions, and more or less permanent smoke plume hanging around the volcano. This year the volcano continued its activity with frequent minor eruptions, the most recent one on 14/15 and 18 June. These eruptions include emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2), which the Dutch-Finnish Ozone Monitoring instrument on board of NASA’s Aura satellite is able to measure from space.

A Satellite's View of Ship Pollution

Date: 08 02 2013

For more than a decade, scientists have observed ship tracks in natural-color satellite imagery of the ocean. These bright, linear trails amidst the cloud layers are created by particles and gases from ships. They are a visible manifestation of pollution from ship exhaust, and scientists can now see that ships have a more subtle, almost invisible, signature as well. Data from OMI show long tracks of elevated nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels along certain shipping routes.

Pollution across Southwestern Asia

Date: 08 01 2013

Cold winter weather and burgeoning industrial economies have made for difficult breathing in Asia and the Middle East this January. News reports from Tehran, Beijing, and other cities have described hazy skies with very low visibility; restrictions on driving, factory operations, and outdoor activity; and hospitals full of people with lung ailments.

OMI observations of the atmosphere above southwestern Asia from January 1-8, 2013, show elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen dioxide is a key emission from the burning of fossil fuels by cars, trucks, power plants, and factories; the combustion of fuel also produces sulfur dioxides and aerosol particles. In the winter, NO2 is less likely to breed ozone, but it does linger for a long time and contribute to fine particle pollution.

2012

A New Pole Hole

Date: 12 11 2012

Chemical ozone destruction occurs over both polar regions in local winter–spring. In the Antarctic, essentially complete removal of lower-stratospheric ozone currently results in an ozone hole every year, whereas in the Arctic, ozone loss is highly variable and has until now been much more limited. The chemical ozone destruction over the Arctic in early 2011 was —for the first time in the observational record—comparable to that in the Antarctic ozone hole.

Read more about it in the Nature article by Manney et al. (2011) or in the featured research story published on the NASA Earth Data Site via the link below.

Using daily satellite observations to estimate emissions of short-lived air pollutants

Date: 05 09 2012

Emission inventories of air pollutants are crucial information for policy makers and form important input data for air quality models. Using satellite observations for emission estimates has important advantages over bottom-up emission inventories: they are spatially consistent, have high temporal resolution, and enable updates shortly after the satellite data become available. A new algorithm is specifically designed to use daily satellite observations of column concentrations for fast updates of emission estimates of short-lived atmospheric constituents on a mesoscopic scale (about 25 x 25 km2). Closed loop tests show that the algorithm is capable of reproducing new emission scenarios. Applied with real satellite data, the algorithm is able to detect emerging sources (e.g., new power plants), and improves emission information for areas where proxy data are not or badly known (e.g., shipping emissions).

Satellite measurements from aerosols above clouds

Date: 05 03 2012

Aerosols are tiny particles, such as smoke, soil dust, and sea salt, suspended in the atmosphere. They scatter and absorb solar radiation and play an important role in the energy balance of the earth-atmosphere system. Carbonaceous particles produced by biomass burning and boreal forest fires, and desert dust particulates originating in arid and semi-arid regions are the most predominant absorbing aerosol types, and lead to atmospheric heating. A large fraction of the atmospheric aerosol load reaches the free troposphere and is frequently located above clouds.
A variety of well established space and ground based techniques are used to measure the amount (i.e., optical depth) of suspended particle matter under cloud-free conditions. Aerosol above clouds, however, can only be measured from airborne or satellite-based instrumentation.

A-train data for Merapi volcanic cloud

Date: 05 03 2012

Due to multiple volcanic eruptions in 2008-10, stratospheric sulfate aerosol concentrations are elevated compared to recent years, with possible impacts on atmospheric chemistry and radiation.
Gaseous and aerosol clouds from major explosive eruption of Indonesia's Merapi volcano on November 4-5, 2010 were measured by multiple A-train sensors.

Emissions from Oil Sands Mining

Date: 02 03 2012

Using data from OMI, researchers have found that the emission of pollutants from oil sands mining operations in Canada's Alberta Province are comparable to the emissions from a large power plant or a moderately sized city.

Extending the Ozone Monitoring Record

Date: 25 02 2012

A new satellite instrument is sending back detailed information about the health of Earth's ozone layer, the atmospheric gas that shields life from harmful levels of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. The Ozone Mapper and Profiler Suite, or OMPS - one of five new instruments on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite - will add to a record of space-based ozone monitoring that dates back to 1978. OMPS is one of the successors to OMI and part of a long line of ozone monitoring instruments, so it is important to have overlapping flight time. Researchers will use the coming months (perhaps years) to cross-calibrate the instruments and ensure a seamless, standardized record.

Reductions in NO2 over Europe

Date: 16 02 2012

Fuel combustion is a significant source of numerous air pollutants, which reduce local air quality, and affect global tropospheric chemistry. Satellite observations of nitrogen dioxide, emitted by combustion processes, allow for robust monitoring of atmospheric concentrations at high spatial resolution on continental scales. An evaluation of changes in tropospheric NO2 concentrations over Europe between 2004 and 2010, using spectral analysis of long-term (greater than a year) variations of daily NO2 observations of the Ozone Monitoring Instrument, shows substantial reductions in NO2 concentrations of at least 20% throughout Europe. These reductions are as much the result of temporary reductions prompted by the 2008-2009 global economic recession, as of European NOx emission controls. The results of this evaluation demonstrate that realistic concentration pathways of NO2 do not follow simple linear trends, but reflect a compilation of environmental policy and economic activity.

Satellite-derived NO2 trends

Date: 05 01 2012

In recent years, space-borne spectrometers have been used to detect shipping emissions of nitrogen oxides. Driven by economic growth, these emissions have been increasing for several decades, yet in few studies it has been attempted to detect trends in ship emitted NO2 from space. A new method is presented that enhances the shipping signal in satellite measurements of NO2, which makes it possible to detect non-linear trends on a monthly to yearly basis. With this method, the signal of four major shipping lanes, detected by several space-born spectrometers was investigated. The results of this study show that it is possible to detect short-term economic fluctuations in satellite measurements of NO2 over major shipping lanes.

2011

SO2 Pollution Controls Bring Results

Date: 02 12 2011

Scientists, regulators, and the electric power industry came together to address
a pollution problem, and the result is cleaner air in the United States. The pollutant
is sulfur dioxide, a key emission from coal-fired power plants that contributes to the
formation of acid rain and to respiratory health problems.

2011 Antarctic Ozone Minimum

Date: 21 10 2011

Scientists from NASA and the NOAA confirmed today that ozone depletion over the
South Pole in 2011 has reached its annual maximum. Researchers used satellites, ground
based monitors, and instrumented balloons to observe the hole, finding it to be among the
top 10 worst for the breadth and depth of ozone loss in the 26 year record.

Study of Unprecedented Arctic Ozone Loss

Date: 03 10 2011

A NASA-led study has documented an unprecedented depletion of Earth's protective ozone
layer above the Arctic last winter and spring caused by an unusually prolonged period of
extremely low temperatures in the stratosphere.

The study, published online Sunday, Oct. 2, in the journal Nature, finds the amount of ozone
destroyed in the Arctic in 2011 was comparable to that seen in some years in the Antarctic,
where an ozone "hole" has formed each spring since the mid-1980s.

Pollution in the Great Lakes Region

Date: 21 07 2011

Fires throughout Ontario, Canada are generating pollution that
is showing up in NO2 data from OMI in the Great Lakes region.
The fires have also forced thousands of residents to evacuate
to other areas in Canada, according to CBC News.
About 112 fires have ravaged 81,545 acres so far

Pollution "Butterfly"

Date: 15 07 2011

Fires raging in central Africa are generating a high amount of pollution that
is showing up in NO2 data from OMI, with the ominous shape of a dark red butterfly
in the skies over southern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and
northern Angola.

Pollution from New Mexico, Arizona Fires

Date: 01 07 2011

OMI has provided a view of nitrogen dioxide levels coming from the
fires in New Mexico and Arizona. Detecting nitrogen dioxide is
important because it reacts with sunlight to create low-level
ozone or smog and poor air quality.

Ash from Puyehue-Cordón Caulle circles the globe

Date: 18 06 2011

In its early, violent days, the eruption at the Puyehue-Cordón
Caulle volcanic complex sent clouds of ash high into the atmosphere.
Rising some 15 kilometers into the air, the ash settled into a jet of
fast-moving wind on a trip around the world.

The ash remained concentrated as it circled the globe in the stratosphere
- enough so that it was visible in photo-like images over New Zealand and
Australia. It was also concentrated enough to disrupt air travel in those
countries.

Grímsvötn Volcano Eruption (incl. movie)

Date: 02 06 2011

The Grímsvötn volcano in southeast Iceland started eruption on
21 May 21. The plume rose to an altitude of about 20km. Various satellite
sensors followed the ash cloud. OMI's ultraviolet aerosol index allows volcanic
ash to be detected over clouds whereas this is more difficult with a visible
image. OMI also measured the sulfur dioxide (SO2) released by the volcano.
The movie shows that the SO2 moved in a different direction than the ash cloud.

Dust Blown from Africa to Scandinavia

Date: 15 04 2011

Atmospheric scientists track aerosols because they have important impacts
on weather, climate, and human health. Mineral dust is one of the most
abundant aerosols, a product of winds blowing across our deserts and beaches,
picking up tiny bits of rock and sand and distributing them all over the
world. Dust can fertilize the ocean for plankton and seed the sky for cloud
formation.

Sometimes dust storms are just cool to watch, as well. In this series of
images from OMI, the dust from a Saharan sand storm blows several thousand
kilometers over the North Atlantic and Europe in April 2011.

Record Arctic Ozone Loss

Date: 30 03 2011

Recent observations from satellites and ground stations suggest
that atmospheric ozone levels for March in the Arctic were approaching
the lowest levels in the modern instrumental era. What those readings
mean for the remainder of the year is unclear. But what they mean for
the long-term is that the recovery from human-induced ozone depletion
is an uneven climb.

Global satellite analysis of the relation between aerosols and short-lived trace gases

Date: 21 02 2011

Most of the anthropogenic aerosol ("man-made") particles are formed in the
air from gases like nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and organics. This
study investigates the relation between the concentrations of these gases
and the concentrations of the aerosols. Therefore, observations of the
Dutch-Finnish OMI instrument and the U.S. MODIS instrument have been used.
By using global satellite data, different regions on Earth can be compared
directly.

This study shows that satellite data provides unique global information on
aerosols and their relation with the gases from which they are formed.
This information can be used to predict reductions of the aerosol
concentrations due to pollution control measures and the resulting climate
effects. Aerosols are important for climate forcing, but the
magnitude of these effects is poorly quantified.

Ozone Hole through the years

Date: 01 02 2011

This series of images above shows the Antarctic ozone hole on the day
of its maximum depletion in four different years; that is, the days
with the thinnest ozone layer as measured in Dobson Units (DU).
The measurements were made by NASA’s Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer
(TOMS) instruments from 1979–2003 and by the Royal Netherlands
Meteorological Institute (KNMI) Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI)
from 2004–present.

A Day of Night-Shining Clouds

Date: 28 01 2011

Scientists have a good reason to track noctilucent or polar
mesospheric clouds: they are a pretty good gauge of even the
tiniest changes in the atmosphere. These "night-shining
clouds", as they are sometimes called, are thin, wavy ice clouds
that form at very high altitudes and reflect sunlight long after
the Sun has dropped below the horizon.

Night-Shining Clouds are Getting Brighter

Date: 27 01 2011

DeLand, an atmospheric scientist with SSAI and NASA's GSFC, has found
that polar mesospheric clouds are forming more frequently and becoming
brighter. He has been observing the clouds in data from SBUV
instruments since 1978 and from 2004 with OMI (see also
"A Day of Night-Shining Clouds").

The upward trend in brightness, says DeLand, reveals subtle changes
in the atmosphere that may be linked to greenhouse gases.

2010

Air quality monitoring and forecasting in China

Date: 28 12 2010

For the last decade the industrial activity of China has been growing at
rapid pace, bringing economic wealth to its 1300 million inhabitants, but
also generating an unprecedented level of air pollution. This deteriorates
the air quality of the densely populated and industrialized areas such as
Beijing, Shanghai and the Pearl River Delta, and increases the background
pollution levels world-wide (1). The EU AMFIC project, led by KNMI, kicked
off in September 2007 and aims at monitoring and forecasting the air quality
in China by using satellite observations and model simulations, together with
ground observations from collaborating Chinese institutes. The combination of
these instruments and tools offers a unique possibility to investigate trends
in air pollution and the effectiveness of air quality policy.

Thirty year ozone record: the Multi Sensor Reanalysis (MSR)

Date: 03 12 2010

A single coherent total ozone dataset, called the Multi Sensor Reanalysis (MSR),
has been created from all available ozone column data measured by polar orbiting
satellites in the near-ultraviolet Huggins band in the last thirty years.

Fourteen total ozone retrieval datasets from the satellite instruments TOMS, SBUV,
GOME, SCIAMACHY, OMI, and GOME-2 have been used in the MSR. As first step a bias
correction scheme is applied to all satellite observations, based on independent
ground-based total ozone data from the World Ozone and Ultraviolet Data Center.

TROPOMI: Sensing the Troposphere from Space

Date: 29 11 2010

TROPOMI is a Dutch initiative building upon the successes of SCIAMACHY and OMI.
This new instrument combines all innovative aspects of the previous instruments
and improves on most specifications. Notably improved are horizontal resolution
and the accuracy of the tropospheric columns, due to improved cloud and surface
albedo characterization capabilities. By flying in an afternoon orbit (overpass
time is 13:30 local time), the TROPOMI measurements can be combined with the
GOME-2 measurements flying in the morning (9:30 am) to obtain information on the
diurnal cycle of several of the trace gases. It will be for the first time that
the diurnal cycle will be measured from space on a daily basis.

Eruption at Mount Merapi (Indonesia)

Date: 11 11 2010

In late October and early November 2010, eruptions at Indonesia’s Mount Merapi
produced ash plumes, lahars, and pyroclastic flows. The volcano also released
sulfur dioxide, a colorless gas that can harm human health and cool Earth's climate.

On November 9, 2010, the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Darwin, Australia, reported
a sulfur dioxide cloud over the Indian Ocean between 12,000 and 15,000 meters, in the
upper troposphere. As of early November, Merapi had emitted just 1 percent into the
stratosphere of what was released by Mount Pinatubo in 1991, and therefore it is
expected that the Merapi eruption will hardly have an effect on global temperatures.

Wandering Ozone Hole in November 2009

Date: 02 11 2010

Using measurements from ground stations and from satellites instruments such
as OMI on EOS-Aura, researchers led by Jos de Laat of the KNMI found that the
ozone hole was centered just off the southern tip of Chile and Argentina for
three weeks in November 2009, rather than its usual center over Antarctica.

The event gave citizens of Tierra del Fuego and nearby regions nearly twice
the normal dose of UV radiation for the area.

Introducing the A-Train

A convoy of "A-Train" satellites has emerged as one of the most powerful
tools scientists have for understanding our planet’s changing climate.
OMI, on board EOS-Aura is part of this "A-Train".

This multi-sensor view allows scientists to simultaneously observe changes
in key environmental phenomenon from numerous perspectives. And it helps
skirt around engineering obstacles that would have made it impossible to
cluster all 15 instruments on one large spacecraft. But it wasn’t necessarily
planned that way. Formation flying is a fairly novel concept, and it came to the
fore partly by accident. The concept of an A-Train first emerged when scientists
and engineers were hashing out the orbit of Aura, which launched in 2004...

Smog over China

Date: 14 10 2010

In early October 2010, a high-pressure weather system settled in over
eastern China, and air pollution began to accumulate locally for nearly
a week. By October 9 and 10, China’s National Environmental Monitoring
Center declared air quality “poor” to “hazardous” around Beijing and
in 11 eastern provinces. Citizens were advised to take measures to protect
themselves, and visibility was reduced to 100 meters in some areas. News
outlets reported that at least 32 people died in traffic accidents caused
by the poor visibility. Untold were the number of people suffering with
asthma and other respiratory difficulties.

The Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA’s Aura satellite detected extremely
high levels of aerosol particles and sulfur dioxide on October 8.

A-train look at the October pollution episode over China

Date: 14 10 2010

In early October 2010, a high-pressure weather system settled in over eastern
China, and air pollution began to accumulate locally for nearly a week. By
9 and 10 October, China's National Environmental Monitoring Center declared
air quality "poor" to "hazardous" around Beijing and in 11 eastern provinces.
Citizens were advised to take measures to protect themselves, and visibility was
reduced to 100 meters in some areas. News outlets reported that at least
32 people died in traffic accidents caused by the poor visibility.
Untold were the number of people suffering with asthma and other respiratory
difficulties.

The event was likely caused by a blend of increased emissions - from agricultural
burning, factories, and vehicle emissions - and the stagnant weather system.
The relatively calm days did not bring enough wind to blow the pollution away
from its sources. By October 11, a cold front brought cleansing rain and winds
that cleared up the skies.

Monitoring and Forecasting System for Atmospheric Composition: The GEMS Project

Date: 05 10 2010

Present-day numerical weather forecasting is based on combining atmospheric
models with observations from operational weather satellites and routine
in-situ and surface measurements. By the ‘assimilation’ of measurements in
weather models a detailed description of the present meteorological situation
is obtained, which serves as starting point for successful weather forecasts.
For the chemical composition and aerosols in the atmosphere such a comprehensive
assimilation and forecast system did not exist until recently.

Antarctic Ozone Hole 2010

Date: 14 09 2010

The yearly depletion of stratospheric ozone over Antarctica – more commonly
referred to as the “ozone hole” – started in early August 2010 and is now
expanding toward its annual maximum. The hole in the ozone layer typically
reaches its maximum area in late September or early October

So far in 2010, the size and depth of the ozone hole has been slightly below
the average for 1979 to 2009, likely because of warmer temperatures in the
stratosphere over the far southern hemisphere.

Russian Firestorm: Finding a Fire Cloud from Space

Date: 31 08 2010

Thick, choking smoke hung over Russia on August 1, 2010, adding to the misery
of a stifling summer heat wave. Thousands of people were fleeing nearly 700
fires burning in the drought-dried forests and peat bogs of western Russia.

It was perhaps not too surprising that OMI recorded high concentrations
of aerosols over far northern Russia on that day, but, they were measured
above the top of high clouds. A decade ago, a scientist trying to trace the
source of those high aerosols would have looked for an erupting volcano.
A volcanic eruption, it was thought, was the only force powerful enough to
loft aerosols twelve kilometers or more into the atmosphere. But in 2010,
meteorologist Michael Fromm saw another suspect far closer to northern Russia.
His experience told him that at least one of the hundreds of fires burning
in western Russia had probably generated a powerful, dangerous firestorm.
Was OMI's observation this summer an indicator that a similar firestorm?

Increasing Bad Ozone Threatens Human and Plant Health

Date: 05 08 2010

"I think what we have to dispel is that ozone pollution is confined to places
like Los Angeles and Houston," says NASA Senior Research Scientist Jack Fishman.
"Despite emission controls that have resulted in notable reductions in many
American cities, O3 concentrations in non-urban areas in both the U.S. and around
the world are increasing, with negative impacts to all living things -- plants,
animals, and people."

Scientific highlights of SCIAMACHY and OMI

Date: 28 06 2010

The Netherlands is actively involved in atmospheric composition measurements
from space since 1995 with measurements from the GOME, SCIAMACHY and OMI
satellite instruments. The MetOp satellite series with GOME-2 onboard will
continue these measurements until 2020, thereby providing an important global
climate data record. KNMI plays an active and often leading role in the
analysis of measurements from these instruments. Here we describe some
scientific highlights based on SCIAMACHY and OMI data.

NASA Observes Ash Plume of Icelandic Volcano

Date: 27 05 2010

On wednesday April 14, Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted
for the second time within one month. The latest eruption spewed a cloud
of ash into the atmosphere that disrupted air travel in Northern Europe
and around the world for quite some time.

Various satellite instruments observed the eruption and the ash cloud and
their images and measurements helped forecasters who were tracking the
ash plume in order to provide detailed volcanic ash hazard warnings for
aviation. Among those instruments are MODIS and MISR on EOS-Terra,
the CALIPSO satellite, the Advanced Land Imager on NASA’s Earth Observing-1
satellite, AVHRR/3 on MetOP-A and OMI on EOS-Aura.

This news item leads to last image of a serie of example images of
observations made various satellite sensors which were used to make up
the volcanic ash hazard warning reports. The link at the bottom of the
last item leads to the other archived images, or use
this direct link.
See also the images, including those of the first eruption on
NASA's Earth Observatory web site.
Read more ...

NASA Aids Forecasters Tracking Iceland Volcano Ash Plume

Date: 05 05 2010

Over the past few years, observations from several sensors on NASA’s
fleet of research satellites focused on the complex workings of our
planet and its climate have been adapted to create new tools to aid
in volcanic ash hazard warnings for aviation. Last month during the
height of the shutdown of European air traffic, NASA for the first
time began providing similar customized reports to European advisory
centers. One of the observations used in the advisory reports are
those of Sulfur dioxide (SO2) by OMI.

SO2 is a reliable marker for fresh volcanic ash clouds under
clear skies especially in the early days of a high-altitude eruption. It
can at times indicate the presence of ash when the ash cannot be visually
detected from space. "OMI data have been very useful for tracking volcanic
clouds over the last few years, and we are now identifying eruption times
and locations of the Icelandic ash clouds," said Nicolai Krotkov of the
University of Maryland Baltimore County who works on the OMI aviation
products.

Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull Volcano (Iceland)

Date: 15 04 2010

One way to describe the ash and other particles from an eruption is with
an aerosol index, which is based on the way particles in the air affect
the passage of visible or ultraviolet light through the atmosphere.
This map, based on OMI measurements on 15 April 2010, shows the aerosol
index over the North Atlantic following the eruption of Iceland’s
Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in mid-April 2010.

Eyjafjallajökull is located at the southeastern corner of Iceland,
and the April 15 plume spread thickly from there all the way across the
Atlantic. It forced most European countries to close their airspace.
(Volcanic ash cannot be detected by airplanes’ radars, and it can
cause jet engines to fail.)

UV Exposure Has Increased Over the Last 30 Years, but Stabilized Since the Mid-1990s

Date: 16 03 2010

Ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth's surface increased for 30 years
before leveling off in the mid-'90s, a new analysis of data from multiple
sources shows, according to NASA-GSFC scientist Jay Herman.

In addition to analyzing ozone and ultraviolet trends, Herman also used
satellite data to study whether changes in cloudiness have affected UV
trends. To his surprise, he found that increased cloudiness in the southern
hemisphere produced a dimming effect that increased the shielding from UV
compared to previous years.

An aerosol boomerang observed from space

Date: 14 01 2010

In December 2006 southeastern Australia suffered from severe forest fires.
Using the OMI instrument we observed how a smoke plume released by these
fires on 14 December rapidly crossed the Pacific and reached southern America
only five days later. After passing south America the plume continued its
journey over the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean to return to home base on
25 December, making it the first-time observation of rapid around-the-world
transport in the extra-tropical southern hemisphere.

OMI observes reduction of Sulfur dioxide pollution over China

Date: 10 10 2009

Chinese sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission controls were given a major strengthening
in the 11th Five-Year-Plan. Power plants (mostly coal fueled) emitted an estimated
18 million tonnes of SO2 and half as much NOx in 2006 and contributed the largest
amounts anthropogenic SO2 and NOx in China. OMI observations of the decrease in
SO2 suggests that the SO2 controlling measures were widely applied in power plants
between 2007 and 2008. Similar trends have been observed with other satellite
instruments (GOME, SCIAMACHY).

Smoke transported from the California station fire

Date: 09 10 2009

Although there are some gaps in coverage (e.g., over Nevada on 31 August),
these images show that the smoke from the California station fire was dispersed
over a large region. Residents of Denver reported that they could smell the
smoke and that visibility was poor.

Combined use of A-train data for improved aerosol characterization

Date: 07 10 2009

Aura-OMI near-UV observations are sensitive to aerosol absorption. Information on
aerosol layer height is needed to retrieve single scattering albedo (SSA), the ratio of
scattering efficiency to total light extinction. OMI cannot measure the height of
an aerosol layer, but CALIPSO, flying just a few minutes apart in the same orbit
as Aura, does measure the height. OMI and CALIPSO aerosol observations combined
together improves the OMI SSA retrievals.

OMI and MODIS are passive sensors with excellent daily spatial coverage,
and sensitivity to different parts of a cloud.

The CloudSat radar provides excellent vertical information, but with
limited spatial coverage; it is used to evaluate OMI/MODIS results.

The combined use of all this A-train data results in an improved cloud
characterization and the ability to detect multi-layer clouds.
Read more ...

OMI NO2 trends: 2007 - 2005 annual means

Date: 05 10 2009

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) criteria
pollutant. It contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone. Anthropogenic
sources of NO2 include power plants and transportation. The identification of
humans as the main driver of global warming helps us understand how and why
our climate is changing, and it clearly defines the problem as one that is
within our power to address.

The Impact of the 2005 Gulf Hurricanes as Seen by OMI

Emission Reductions California Show Results

Date: 03 10 2009

NO2 is more concentrated in more densely populated urban areas. NO2 forms
quickly from emissions from cars, trucks and buses, power plants, and off-road
equipment. In addition to contributing to the formation of ground-level ozone,
and fine particle pollution, NO2 is linked with a number of adverse effects.

Over the past several years, California has enforced aggressive air quality
regulations. Results of this action can be seen in Aura's OMI imagery. OMI
shows that decreases in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) columns over the 4 years
2005-2008 approach 40%.

Filling up the gaps in OMI data using A-train data for SO2 released during the Sarychev Peak eruptio

Date: 02 10 2009

Beginning in May 2007, some OMI cross-track scenes began to show radiance
anomalies, impacting the quality of the level 1B and level 2 data products.
These anomalies have since expanded and currently affect ~25% of OMI
cross-track scenes, creating data gaps in OMI level 2 data products.

Synergy between A-Train instruments permits 'filling-in' of the OMI data
gaps with near-coincident SO2 retrievals from the AIRS instrument on Aqua,
about 8 minutes ahead of Aura, as demonstrated with observations of
the Sarychev Peak (Kurile Islands) eruption in mid-June 2009.

The Sarychev Peak eruption was the second significant SO2 injection
(~about Tg SO2) into the Northern Hemisphere (NH) stratosphere in a year,
following the eruption of Kasatochi volcano (Aleutian Islands) in August 2008
(about 1.4 Tg SO2). Due to these recent eruptions, stratospheric sulfate aerosol
concentrations in the NH may be elevated compared to recent years, with possible
impacts on atmospheric chemistry and radiation.

Air Pollution Controls for Summer Surface Ozone as Deduced by OMI

Date: 01 10 2009

The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measures formaldehyde (HCHO) and
nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and the ratio of HCHO to NO2 for August 2005
shows how these data can be used to develop effective strategies to
improve air quality.

Antarctic Ozone Hole 2009

Date: 17 09 2009

The annual ozone hole started developing over the South Pole in late August 2009,
and by September 10, it appeared that the ozone hole of 2009 would be comparable
to ozone depletions over the past decade. However, we won’t know for another four
weeks how this year’s ozone hole will fully develop.

September 16 marks the International Day for the Protection of the Ozone Layer,
declared by the United Nations to commemorate the date when the Montreal Protocol
was signed to ban use of ozone-depleting chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Smoke from Fires in Russia & Canada and Alaska

Date: 14 08 2009

In late July and early August 2009, fires raged in Russia, Canada,
and Alaska, sending aerosols (airborne particles) skyward over the Arctic.
This aerosol index image is based on observations by the Ozone Monitoring
Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite on August 1 and 2, 2009.

Relative Amounts of Bad Ozone Ingredients Across the U.S.

Date: 09 08 2009

When ozone forms at ground level, it can cause respiratory illness and can damage
crops and other plants. At the Earth’s surface, the ingredients for making ozone
are nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (organic chemicals that
vaporize easily). Both of these ingredients are found in the air pollution from
vehicles (and gasoline vapors), power plants, and industrial activities, but
volatile organics are also released naturally from trees and other vegetation.

Because both kinds of chemicals—plus summertime sunlight and heat—are needed to
make ground-level ozone, regulators could control ozone production by reducing
only one ingredient. But which one? These maps, based upon OMI measurements,
show a satellite-based approach to deciding when it would be more effective to
reduce nitrogen oxides and when it would be more effective to reduce volatile
organic compounds.

Dust Storm over Iraq and Iran

Date: 22 07 2009

In early July 2009, Iraq experienced the worst dust storm in living memory,
according to news reports. The storm raged over Iraq for more than a week,
causing hundreds of hospitalizations and claiming at least three lives.
The dust spread eastward to Iran and also hovered over the Arabian Peninsula.

Satellites that acquire photo-like images of the Earth can give a general
sense of how thick a dust plume is, namely whether it’s thin enough to allow
a fuzzy glimpse of the surface below, or thick enough to completely obscure
the underlying land or ocean. OMI provides another view of dust storms by
measuring their effects on sunlight. Aerosols—solid or liquid particles
suspended in the air—can absorb or reflect sunlight before it reaches
Earth’s surface.

September Smoke Over the Amazon from 2005-2008

Date: 30 06 2009

Prior to widespread human settlement and forest clearing, there was no such
thing as a fire season in the Amazon Rainforest. Today, burning begins in
August, generally peaks in September, and tapers off by October; during these
months, the skies over the Amazon fill with smoke.

Recently, atmospheric scientist Omar Torres of Hampton University and several
colleagues investigated yearly patterns in the intensity of the Amazon fire season.
Scientists use the amount of smoke and fires in the Amazon as an indicator of
how much of the Amazon was cleared or degraded each year, but the burning has
other impacts. Fires release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,
adding to global warming.

Sarychev Eruption Generates Large Cloud of Sulfur Dioxide

Date: 18 06 2009

Atmospheric scientists are interested in tracking sulfur dioxide
because it can endanger public health and because it can affect
global climate. In mid-June 2009, Sarychev Peak Volcano on Matua
Island in the northwest Pacific began a series of eruptions of
large amounts of ash. According to atmospheric scientist Simon Carn,
who is part of the science team for the Ozone Monitoring Instrument
(OMI) on NASA's Aura satellite, it was also almost certainly the
largest sulfur dioxide event so far this year.

Antarctic Ozone Hole: 1979 to 2008

Date: 02 06 2009

This pair of images show the beginning and end of a nearly 30-year series
of images of the Antarctic Ozone Hole feature. The 1979 image was captured
by NASA’s Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument aboard
Nimbus-7, and the 2008 image is from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological
Institute Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) that flies on NASA’s Aura satellite.

Satellite Measurements Help Reveal Ozone Damage to Important Crops

Date: 27 05 2009

The U.S. soybean crop is suffering nearly $2 billion in damage a year due
to rising surface ozone concentrations harming plants and reducing the
crop’s yield potential, a NASA-led study has concluded. The study is based
on five years of soybean yields, surface ozone, and satellite measurements
of tropospheric ozone levels in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa.

This study proved that space-borne satellite measurements of tropospheric
ozone – derived from NASA’s Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) prior
to 2005, and from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) since 2005– have
provided useful indicators of surface ozone concentration over a far broader
area than ground-based monitors.

The World We Avoided by Protecting the Ozone Layer

Date: 13 05 2009

The year is 2065. Nearly two-thirds of Earth’s ozone is gone—not just over
the poles, but everywhere. The infamous ozone hole over Antarctica, first
discovered in the 1980s, is a year-round fixture, with a twin over the North
Pole. The ultraviolet (UV) radiation falling on mid-latitude cities like
Washington, D.C., is strong enough to cause sunburn in just five minutes.
DNA-mutating UV radiation is up more than 500 percent, with likely harmful
effects on plants, animals, and human skin cancer rates.

Such is the world we would have inherited if 193 nations had not agreed to
ban ozone-depleting chemicals, according to atmospheric chemists from NASA’s
Goddard Space Flight Center, the Johns Hopkins University, and the Netherlands
Environmental Assessment Agency. Led by Goddard scientist Paul Newman, the
team used a state-of-the-art model to learn “what might have been” if
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and similar chemicals had not been banned through
the 1989 Montreal Protocol, the first-ever international agreement on
regulation of chemical pollutants, and later agreements limiting CFCs.

Sulfur Dioxide Plume from Isla Fernandina

Date: 14 04 2009

In early April 2009, La Cumbre Volcano on Isla Fernandina in the Galapagos
Islands erupted, producing an ash plume and lava flows. The eruption also
produced a substantial cloud of sulfur dioxide that extended far west of
the islands, over the Pacific Ocean.

OMI Collection 3: improved level-1b data

Date: 23 03 2009

The Ozone Monitoring Instrument is equipped with a CCD-camera that allows
simultaneous Earth-viewing under 60 individual angles. In the first years
of operation, this novel technique appeared susceptible to calibration
offsets that changed with viewing angle.

As described in a recent paper, Dobber et al. [2008] have significantly
improved the calibration of the OMI level-1b data. They show that with
these improvements, the accuracy of the geophysically calibrated
level 1b radiance and irradiance is much better in the
collection 3 data.

Sulfur Dioxide Emissions from the Maritsa Iztok power plant (Bulgaria)

Date: 27 01 2009

When we burn fossil fuels, extract metals from ores, or make
gasoline from oil, sulfur in the raw materials combines with
oxygen in the atmosphere and produces sulfur dioxide (SO2). When
volcanoes erupt, they also release huge amounts of the gas.
SO2 causes acid rain, and it contributes to smog.
It also leads to the formation of light-reflecting sulfate
particles, which cool the climate.

Satellite sensors, such as OMI, provide daily global maps of
SO2. These maps provide valuable input for air quality
models, for assessing the impact of emissions on ecosystems,
and for climate prediction models.

This image shows measurements of SO2 in the air over one of
the largest power plants in eastern Europe, the Maritsa Iztok
Complex in Bulgaria.

2008

Beijing Restrictions Reduce Pollution

Date: 18 12 2008

Chinese officials took extreme measures to improve Beijing's air quality
for the 2008 summer Olympic games. Factories were closed and traffic was
restricted for two months. Did the restrictions make a difference?

According to newly released research conducted by NASA researchers,
they did. In August and September 2008, concentrations of carbon monoxide
and nitrogen dioxide - pollutants released when fossil fuels are burned
in cars, trucks, and power plants - fell dramatically over Beijing.

Volcanic Haze over Hawaii

Date: 06 12 2008

Dense, gray-white haze hung low over the Hawaiian Islands on December 3, 2008,
when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua
satellite captured this image. Though seldom so thick or widespread, the haze
is common in Hawaii. It forms when sulfur dioxide from the islands’ volcanoes
mixes with oxygen and water in the atmosphere. The tiny sulfate particles that
make up vog reflect light well so that vog shows up easily when viewed from
space. A little less than 10 minutes after Aqua MODIS
captured this image, the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura
satellite also detected high levels of sulfur dioxide over and around the
island of Hawaii.

Sulfur Dioxide from smelters at Noril'sk (Russia)

This image shows average concentrations of sulfur dioxide from the Noril’sk facility,
measured by OMI. The measurements are for the months of June through August from
2005 through 2007.

Significant amounts of nickel, palladium and copper, come from one place: Siberia’s
Noril’sk smelting facility. The mining facility supports a population of roughly
200.000 people, yet it has also created some of the world’s worst air pollution.

Large amounts of sulfur dioxide cause eye irritation, respiratory damage, and
acid rain. Around the Noril’sk mining facility, expanses of dead forest testify
to the acid rain’s impact. By 2007, at least 1.2 million acres (4,850 square
kilometers) of trees had died.

Earth surface reflectance climatology from 3 years of OMI data

Date: 14 11 2008

The reflectance of the Earth surface is a critical parameter for satellite
retrievals of the atmospheric trace gases, clouds and aerosols. Also, it is
often a critial parameter to describe the radiation balance in climate models.
Kleipool et al. [2008] used three years of data from OMI to derive the
surface reflectance of the globe on a 0.5 by 0.5 degree grid for every month
of the year. The reflectance is given for 23 wavelengths between 328 and
500 nm. The data compares well with existing albedo climatologies derived
from other satellite instruments (TOMS, GOME, MODIS), and significantly improves
on these data sets by better spectral and/or spatial resolution.

Fires in California

Date: 06 11 2008

Smoke from the recent outbreak of fires in Southern California
can clearly be seen from NASA satellites.
MODIS observations show the smoke drifting to the southwest from
the Los Angeles basin over the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
OMI measurements show aerosols, tiny particles within smoke.

In the MODIS image, the smoke disappears when it moves over the
bright surface of the low-level marine stratocumulus clouds.
The OMI aerosol index measurement reveals, however, that smoke
is present over the clouds. Such ultraviolet measurements from
instruments like OMI are useful to scientists working to
understand how aerosols affect clouds.

The Ozone Hole of 2008

Date: 25 10 2008

On September 12, 2008, the Antarctic ozone hole reached its maximum size for the
year. Represented by blues and purples in this image from OMI, the ozone hole
covered about 27 million square kilometers, making it larger than North America,
which is about 25 million square kilometers. Though larger than it was in 2007,
the 2008 ozone hole was still smaller than the record set in 2006.

The 2005 and 2006 DANDELIONS campaigns were unique because they brought
together an unprecedented variety of measurement techniques to measure
NO2, aerosols and ozone at Cabauw, The Netherlands. Also unique was that
in 2006, the vertical dimension was used by placing instrumentation at
ground level as well as in the 220 m. tower.

Using these ground-based instruments viewing in different directions,
in-situ instruments, and a NO2 lidar, Brinksma et al. [2008] show significant
spatial variability in NO_2 fields, depending on the direction in which
one looks. This means that the modest agreement (r=0.6) found between the
ground-based and OMI NO2 retrievals is as good as it gets.

Aleutian Islands Kasatochi Volcano Erupts - Part 3

Date: 13 08 2008

The plume of sulfur dioxide from the eruption of the Kasatochi Volcano
in the first week of August continued its trans-continental trek across
North America on August 13, 2008. This image based on data from OMI shows
sulfur dioxide concentrations high in the atmosphere (higher than urban
and industrial pollution would be found). The volcanic gas spread across
the Arctic and also dipped southward across Canada and into the
Northeast United States

Aleutian Islands Kasatochi Volcano Erupts - Part 2

Date: 12 08 2008

Sulfur dioxide from the eruption of Kasatochi Volcano in the Aleutian Islands
on August 8 continued to spread eastward on August 12 and was observed by the
Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite. Winds were moving
the gas in a large counter clockwise loop over the Pacific Ocean and back
toward Alaska, but also spreading streamers over the Arctic and eastward
across the United States and Canada.

Aleutian Islands Kasatochi Volcano Erupts - Part 1

Date: 10 08 2008

Between August 7 and August 8, 2008, three explosive eruptions rocked
the Kasatochi Volcano in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The volcano
released a large cloud of sulfur dioxide. In the days that followed
the eruption, the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA's Aura satellite
tracked a dense cloud that contained about 1.5 million tons of sulfur dioxide.

It was one of the largest volcanic sulfur dioxide clouds scientists have observed
since Chile's Hudson volcano erupted in August 1991.

Daily Air Quality Forecast for China

Date: 27 07 2008

The AMFIC project addresses atmospheric environmental monitoring over China.
The aim is to develop an integrated information system for monitoring and
forecasting tropospheric pollutants over China. The web site of the forecast
service has been launched recently.
Every day it publishes a 3-day forecast calculated by the chemical transport
model Chimere. The model runs with the emission inventory of Street et al, 2006.
Satellite data from OMI and GOME-2 is used to adjust the emissions for the
effect of the air quality measures taken by the Beijing authorities during
the Olympic Games.

Okmok eruption (incl. movie)

Date: 23 07 2008

A strong explosive eruption of Okmok began abruptly on 12 July 2008, sending
a cloud of volcanic ash and gas to about 17 km altitude in the lower
stratosphere. Satellite tracking of the ash cloud by traditional infrared (IR)
techniques was hampered by the high water content of the volcanic plume. However,
sulfur dioxide (SO2) measurements from OMI permitted tracking of the eruption cloud
in near real-time, as it drifted south of the Aleutians across the North Pacific
and then eastwards across the conterminous United States and Canada. Airlines were
rerouted aircraft to avoid the Okmok volcanic cloudit due to the potential threat
of volcanic ash in the cloud.

Assuring quality for long-term ozone trend studies

Date: 01 07 2008

The record of total ozone derived from the TOMS instrument series since
November 1978 and continued by OMI since July 2004, is the longest
to date and essential to study the recovery of the ozone layer. To verify
the quality of the OMI-TOMS ozone data and its potential for trend analysis,
Kroon et al. [2008] compare two ozone retrieval methods applied for the
OMI instrument.

The eye of the beholder

Date: 02 06 2008

OMI uses reflected sunlight to retrieve concentrations of trace gases
in the atmosphere, like O3 and NO2. These retrieved trace gas amounts
must be corrected for the presence of clouds in the atmosphere. Cloud
heights are derived from OMI observations of scattered light in the
UV-visible range. However, satellite imagers like MODIS use thermal
infra-red radiation, emitted by the clouds themselves. The two
observation methods give a different view of clouds: OMI sees the
middle of the cloud, whereas MODIS sees the top of the cloud.

Despite its low atmospheric abundance, bromine monoxide (BrO) plays an important
role in the chemistry of the atmosphere because of its very high efficiency as a
catalyst of the ozone destruction.

The role of BrO has been highlighted first in the context of the stratospheric
ozone layer problematic. Recent findings, however, have demonstrated that BrO is
also produced with significant amounts in the troposphere where it can influence
the chemistry of tropospheric ozone.

Aerosols and SO2 from Chaiten Volcano

Date: 24 05 2008

On May 2, 2008, the Chaitén Volcano of southern Chile rumbled
to life. The eruption was a surprise - it was Chaitén's first
eruption in more than 9,000 years. It blanketed some nearby areas in
as much as 1.5 meters of volcanic ash. It also send a cloud of ash
high into the atmosphere. Are we in for a cool summer in the wake
of the eruption, like the summer Philippine's Mount Pinatubo erupted?

Most likely not, and the reason is illustrated in this pair of
images with observations made by OMI. The images compare total
aerosols, tiny particles of both ash and sulfates to the part
of the plume made up of sulfur dioxide alone.

Sulfur Dioxide and Vog from Kilauea

Date: 30 04 2008

In late April 2008, Kilauea Volcano Volcano on Hawaii's big island
continued its pattern of increased activity, including elevated seismic
tremors and emissions. Two NASA satellite sensors observed different
aspects of the volcano's activity on April 26, 2008. As Kilauea emitted
ash and steam, the sensors recorded both the visible volcanic emissions
(a volcanic smog known as vog), and the concentrations of one
volcanic pollutant not visible to human eyes (SO2).

Sulfur Dioxide Plume from Kilauea

Date: 29 03 2008

Kilauea is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, but it is of
the sort that tends to ooze lava more often than it explodes.
Until March 19, 2008 occurred in 1924. But starting on March 19,
a small explosion from the crater rained rock and ash over the summit.
The explosion heralded further activity at the summit, including a
two- to four-fold increase in the amount of sulfur dioxide (SO2) seeping
from the volcano.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory warned on March 28 that SO2 concentrations
in the air downwind from the volcano were likely to be hazardous.

OMI recorded the increase in SO2 rising out of Kilauea between
March 20 and March 27, 2008. Throughout the period, the easterly
trade winds swept a long plume of sulfur dioxide south and west,
away from major populated areas.

Sulfur Dioxide Plume from Llaima Volcano

Date: 09 01 2008

On January 1, 2008, Chile\u2019s Llaima Volcano erupted, raining ash on the local wilderness park and sending a column of smoke skyward.
In addition to volcanic ash, Llaima\u2019s eruption released a plume of sulfur dioxide. The initially intense plume thinned as it moved eastward.
This image, acquired by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA\u2019s Aura satellite, shows the progress of that plume from January 2-4, 2008.

Winds Blow Smoke in California (incl. animation)

During the fires in Southern California during the fourth week of October,
the air quality in many areas deteriorated to levels that the Environmental
Protection Agency categorizes as "unhealthy".

This pair of images shows the location and thickness of smoke on October 24
and 26 combined with arrows showing wind speed and direction. The smoke was
observed by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA's Aura satellite.

For more images of this event, see also
this overview on the NASA Earth Observatory - Natural
Hazards site.

Activity at Manda Hararo, Ethiopia

Date: 13 08 2007

In western Afar, Ethiopia, sits a massive volcano complex, roughly 105 kilometers
by 25 kilometers. Known as Manda Hararo, the area had not been known for eruptive
activity, but in August 2007, satellite, aerial, and ground-based observations
showed the volcanic complex coming to life. According to a report from the
Smithsonian Institution, an August 16 inspection of the site showed lava
flows—including splattering and bubbling lava—from fissures in the complex,
as well as sulfur deposits. On August 13, OMI observations detected gaseous
emissions of sulfur dioxide.

Smoke Spreading from Greece to Africa

Date: 31 07 2007

Besides laying waste to huge areas of forest, fires burning in Greece
in August 2007 released pollutants that traveled across the Mediterranean
Sea and into Africa. This image shows aerosols - tiny solid or liquid
particles suspended in air - observed by OMI layered on the photo-like
composite image.

Driving Ban Lowers Beijing Pollution

Date: 20 05 2007

In an effort to control smog during the 2008 Olympics, Beijing officials
planned to institute a number of pollution-curbing measures. One such measure
is to limit the number of vehicles on the roads. The Summit of the Forum on
China-Africa Cooperation, held in Beijing on November 4-5, 2006, gave officials
the opportunity to see just how much pollution would be reduced if traffic
were restricted.

Cars, buses, power plants, factories, and homes all pump nitrogen oxides into
the atmosphere when they burn fuel at high temperatures. Orbiting overhead once
a day, OMI recorded nitrogen dioxide levels. From these measurements, scientists
from Harvard University and KNMI estimated that nitrogen oxide emissions were
reduced by 40 percent during the restriction period.

Springtime Aerosols over Eastern Asia

Date: 05 05 2007

March 31, 2007, marked opening ceremonies for the first “Green China Day,”
established to increase awareness of the need for environmental protection.
As reported by ShanghaiDaily.com, however, the ceremony in Beijing saw an
unwelcome guest: Gobi Desert dust. Roughly 2,000 kilometers south of the
capital city, air quality also suffered, in this case from fires in Southeast Asia.

Mount Etna's SO2 cloud observed above Greece

Date: 01 05 2007

On April 29, 2007 Europe's most active volcano, Mount Etna, has erupted on the southern Italian island of Sicily.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) in this cloud is observed by OMI a day later above Greece.
Backward trajectory analyses confirms that the SO2 cloud over Greece comes from mount Etna.
Picture courtesy of Carn and Krueger (UMBC) and Krotkov (NASA GSFC).
Information can be obtained at KNMI (Pepijn Veefkind, Mirna van Hoek).
Read more ...

Dust Dampens Hurricane Formation

Date: 18 04 2007

After 2005’s record hurricane season, Caribbean, Gulf Coast, and East Coast
residents braced for more destruction in 2006, but the devastating storms
never came.

Why the difference between 2005 and 2006? William Lau of NASA GSFC and
Kyu-Myong Kim of University of Maryland-Baltimore County think the answer
comes from the Sahara, namely dust. Using dust observations collected by
OMI, they found that the Sahara sent an unusually large amount of dust
over the Atlantic during the 2006 hurricane season. The researchers don’t
yet know how great a part dust played in derailing hurricane formation
in 2006, but they hope their work will fuel more studies.

Satellite observations of air quality, climate and volcanic eruptions

Date: 15 03 2007

Satellite observations of atmospheric constituents have many applications
in the area of climate research, air quality monitoring and security.
Here, we will focus on the satellite observations of two important trace
gases, NO2 and SO2. Applications are air quality monitoring and support
to aviation control.

2006

Eruption of Mount Nyamulagira (Nyamuragira) (incl. animations)

Date: 08 12 2006

On November 27, 2006, Mount Nyamulagira erupted. Situated near the city of
Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the volcano posed a
danger to nearby wildlife as the animals could fall ill after eating ash-coated
vegetation. Although the full impact of the eruption was not immediately known,
the city of Goma appeared safe from any resulting lava flow as another volcano,
Mount Nyiragongo, would block the lava, according to the Associated Press.

Besides ash and possible lava, the volcano also released sulfur dioxide. OMI
tracked the emission of this gas from the volcano from November 28 to December 4, 2006.

Ozone Hole Reaches Record Size

Date: 21 10 2006

The 2006 ozone hole over the polar region of the Southern Hemisphere broke records
for both area and depth. A little over a week after the ozone hole sustained its new
record high for average area, satellites and balloon-based instruments recorded the
lowest concentrations of ozone ever observed over Antarctica, making the ozone hole
the deepest it had ever been.

This image, made from data collected by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA’s
Aura satellite, shows the Antarctic ozone hole on September 24, 2006.

Sulfur Dioxide Cloud from Rabaul Volcano

Date: 12 10 2006

On October 7, 2006, Rabaul Volcano on the northeastern tip of New Britain
produced a large-scale eruption. According to ReliefWeb, the eruption shook
windows and rained heavy ash and small stones on the city of Rabaul as
authorities declared a state of emergency. Besides volcanic ash and steam,
the eruption produced sulfur dioxide. Densely concentrated over the island
of New Britain the day of the eruption, the sulfur dioxide dispersed over
the next two days.

Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador

Date: 17 08 2006

The Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador had been acting up for more than a month
when it erupted ferociously in mid-August 2006. According to the Associated
Press, the volcano destroyed 10 villages, and buried the homes of roughly
5000 people—as well as the pasture for their livestock—under tons of ash.
Besides inundating the locals, Tungurahua Volcano spewed volcanic ash into
the atmosphere. OMI measured the aerosols in the region the day after the
volcano’s fierce eruption.

UK Record Heatwave and Rising Pollution Observed by Eyes in the Sky

Date: 25 07 2006

As the UK bakes during this summer's heatwave, sensors in space (AATSR on ESA's
ENVISAT and OMI op NASA's EOS-Aura) have been recording dramatic increases
in both UK land temperature and in air pollution, particularly in major
cities.
During a period of persistent stable summer weather from 15th and 19th
July, temperatures rose to record highs for the U.K. and pollution due
to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a respiratory inhibitor, appears to have
risen considerably too; the Met Office reported that temperatures on
July 19th reached a record maximum for July.
Read more ...

Live OMI measurements of total Ozone and UV radiation on the Earth's surface

Date: 25 07 2006

The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) delivers almost live OMI
measurements of the amount of UV radiation on the Earth's surface
(as UV-index and erythemally weighted dose) and the total amount of
ozone in the atmosphere above Central and North Europe. The
measurements of these so-called Very Fast Delivery (VFD) products
are on-line within 30 minutes after observation.

During several overpasses per day, OMI has direct contact with FMI's
Satellite Data Center at Sodankylä in Northern Finland. During
those periods, OMI measurements are broadcasted directly to this data
center and directly processed, using processing software from KNMI
for cloud and ozone products and the software from FMI for UV
processing.
Read more ...

OMI Measures Volcanic Gas Cloud (quicktime movie 3,2 Mb)

Date: 13 07 2006

On May 20, 2006 a major lava dome collapse at the Soufriere Hills volcano
on Montserrat (West Indies) triggered an explosive emission of volcanic
gases. The resulting gas cloud penetrated the stratosphere, reaching an
altitude of ~20 km. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) in this cloud was tracked by
OMI for 3 weeks as it moved westwards across the Pacific, before
finally dissipating below detection limits over the Indian Ocean
on June 11.
See also (shorter but with Calipso measurements
of same event).
Read more ...

ANTARCTIC OZONE HOLE TO RECOVER LATER THAN EXPECTED

Date: 30 06 2006

Scientists from NASA and other agencies have concluded that the
ozone hole over the Antarctic will recover around 2068, nearly 20
years later than previously believed. Their findings, with lead
author Paul Newman (OMI science team member from NASA-GSFC) have been
published today in Geophysical Research Letters (Vol. 33, No. 12.)
For the first time, a model combines estimates of future Antarctic
chlorine and bromine levels based on current amounts as captured
from TOMS and OMI satellite observations, NOAA ground-level
observations, NCAR airplane-based observations, with anticipated
future emissions, the time it takes for the transport of those
emissions into the Antarctic stratosphere, and assessments of future
weather patterns over Antarctica.
Read more ...

First global tropospheric maps show streams of tropospheric ozone crossing the oceans

Date: 28 06 2006

The monthly mean maps by the Aura instruments OMI and MLS of tropospheric
ozone show pollution streaming from the U.S., Europe and China to the
west in summer and pollution from biomass burning in the equatorial zone.
The tropospheric ozone measurements were made by subtracting the MLS
stratospheric ozone from OMI column ozone.
Read more ...

SO2 Emissions from Smelters

Date: 28 06 2006

The Peruvian copper smelters are among the world's largest industrial
point sources of sulfur dioxide (SO2). OMI is sensitive enough to be
able to identify the copper being emitted from the La Oroya and Ilo
smelters even though these produce less SO2 than the volcanoes.
In addition to air quality applications, these data provide insights
into the different lifetimes, dispersal etc of volcanic vs.
industrial emission plumes.
Read more ...

Asian Dust Storms (movie)

Date: 15 04 2006

Asia is suffering through the worst dust storm season in at least
five years. The eighth major storm this year clogged the air over
China, Korea, and Japan with sand from the Taklamkan and Gobi deserts.
The sand picks up a toxic mix of heavy metals and carcinogens as the
clouds pass over China's industrial areas, exacerbating health problems
due to these storms.
Read more ...

Dust Storm over Eastern China

Date: 15 03 2006

A large dust storm spread aerosols (airborne particles) over Asia and
the Pacific starting on March 9, 2006. The storm reached the Beijing
region on March 10, and the tiny particles remained aloft for several
more days. The dust cloud remained intense as it migrated eastward
from China over Korea and Japan. OMI captured these images on March
9, 11, and 13.
Read more ...

Smoke over Southern United States

Date: 12 03 2006

A thick cloud of aerosols hung over part of North America on 12 March 2006.
Aerosols, tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere, can result from a
variety of sources, including dust storms, pollution, and smoke. This aerosol
cloud, extending from northern Mexico through Kansas, likely resulted in a
large part from fires in Texas and Oklahoma. Windy conditions that helped
spread some wildfires might also have lofted dust particles into the air.

2005

Smog in Northern Italy

In northern Italy, smog collected at the base of the Alps in late December
2005. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) flying
onboard the Aqua satellite captured this image.

As reported by Scotsman.com and the BBC, in the fall of 2005, a team of
researchers at KNMI assessed the worst areas of air pollution in Europe.
The researchers used data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on
NASA’s Aura satellite. In that
study, northern Italy proved to be one of
Europe’s more polluted areas.

Europe's pollution hotspots shown

Date: 09 12 2005

Dutch OMI scientists are putting together remarkable maps showing pollution
over Europe and other regions of the globe.
One map presented at the AGU conference, pulling together data gathered
from May to September this year, showed expected high emissions over
some of Europe's cities, and in particular over Antwerp, Rotterdam and
the Ruhr.
Read more ...

Thanks to the latest sophisticated, satellite-based instruments, local and
regional air pollution and their sources can now be observed closely from
space. Researchers using new, nearly up-to-the-hour data from NASA's Aura
satellite are now tracking important pollutants such as ozone and nitrogen
oxide. What's more, the satellite's first global observations of ice in
clouds will provide climatologists, weather forecasters and public
officials around the world the ability to make better predictions of
future climate change.
Read more ...

2005 Ozone Hole (incl. animations)

Date: 08 12 2005

The year 2005 marks the twentieth anniversary of the discovery of the ozone hole
and the first full year that NASA’s Aura satellite has provided detailed images
of the hole. Aura was launched in 2004 to monitor the Earth’s atmosphere, including
the health of the delicate ozone layer. The Ozone Monitoring Instrument on Aura
collected the data used to create this image on September 11, 2005, when the ozone
hole covered 27 million square kilometers—its peak size for the season.

NASA's Aura Satellite Peers Into Earth's Ozone Hole

Date: 07 12 2005

NASA researchers determined the seasonal ozone hole that developed over
Antarctica this year is smaller than in previous years. NASA's 2005
assessment of the size and thickness of the ozone layer was the first
based on observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on the
agency's Aura spacecraft.
Read more ...

Sierra Negra Sulfur Dioxide Emissions

Date: 22 10 2005

On October 22, 2005, one of the six volcanic summits on Isla Isabela in
the Galapagos Islands archipelago began erupting. The Sierra Negra Volcano
continued to emit ash clouds and lava through the end of the month. This
image shows the average concentration of sulfur dioxide over the
Sierra Negra Volcano from October 23-November 1 measured by OMI.
Read more ...

Daily on-line measurements by OMI of tropospheric NO2 above Europe

Date: 18 10 2005

Since Tuesday 18 October everyone can check today's measurements of
air pollution by nitrogen dioxide. Tropospheric NO2 amounts derived from
measurements of the satellite instrument OMI are available on the
KNMI web site within three hours after the observation.
Read more ...

Eruption of Santa Ana (Ilamatepec) Volcano

Date: 03 10 2005

On October 1, 2005, El Salvador’s Santa Ana, or Ilamatepec, Volcano erupted
for the first time since 1904. Besides ash, lava, rocks as big as cars, and
a boiling flood of muddy water, Santa Ana’s eruption produced something else:
sulfur dioxide (SO2).

This image combines OMI’s SO2 observations of the Santa Ana Volcano taken on
October 1 and 2, 2005. The total cloud mass on October 1 was estimated at
10,000 tons, a relatively small eruption.

Black Carbon in Smoke over Alaska

Date: 25 08 2005

OMI measures smoke by tracking black carbon particles, or soot, that
absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation, even if the smoke is mixed with or
floating above clouds. By measuring how much UV radiation the soot absorbs,
OMI provides estimates of the amount of black carbon aerosol
in the smoke layer. Measurements of how much radiation aerosols absorb
are important for scientists trying to calculate the net effect of aerosols
on Earth's energy budget and climate.
Read more ...

Air Quality Emergency in Malaysia

Date: 10 08 2005

Out-of-control fires burning on the eastern shore of Sumatra created
an air quality emergency for neighboring Malaysia in early August 2005
as smoke shrouded parts of the country. The smoke hung thickly over
Malaysia’s busy capital, Kuala Lumpur, where it forced businesses,
schools, and transportation to close. This image, created using data
collected by OMI, shows the density of the smoke on August 10, 2005.

Eruption of Anatahan - part 3

Date: 08 08 2005

As reported by the Saipan Tribune Website, the Anatan Volcano spewed
volcanic ash to an altitude of nearly 13,000 meters in early August,
prompting officials to issue a volcanic ash advisory for Saipan and
Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands. The volcano has emitted something
besides ash: sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas, which was observed by OMI.

Between 25 and 31 July predominantly easterly winds carried the noxious
SO2 emissions away from the populated islands. Between 2 and 8 August,
however, changing winds allowed SO2 to accumulate over the Southern
Mariana Islands and Guam.

New Measurements of Arctic Ozone

Date: 21 06 2005

The winter of 2004-2005 saw the second highest chemical ozone
destruction ever observed over the Arctic. Despite this, the lowest
total column ozone values in polar regions were slightly higher in March
than in January, on average. Stratospheric winds carried the ozone north
into the Arctic, compensating for the significant chemical loss. And even
though ozone values appeared to be near normal on average throughout March,
some regions experienced much lower ozone levels -- and therefore, a greater
exposure to UV light -- on an individual day.
Read more ...

Eruption of Anatahan - part 2

Date: 04 05 2005

Explosive volcanic eruptions inject gases and ash into the Earth's atmosphere, creating hazardous
conditions for passing aircraft and the potential for climate effects.
The above image of Anatahan shows sulfur dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere on April 7, 2005,
over 30 hours after the eruption, as measured by EOS-Aura OMI and MLS instruments.
Read more ...

OMI Sees the Soot Within Smoke

Date: 13 04 2005

In the summer of 2004, more than 6.7 million acres went up in
flames in Alaska. Smoke spread as far as Texas and Newfoundland.
On August 21, 2004, two NASA satellites observed thick layers of
soot-laced smoke billowing from the fires: Aqua's Moderate Resolution
Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Aura's Ozone Monitoring
Instrument (OMI).
Read more ...

Sulfur Dioxide Seeps from the Ambrym Volcano

Date: 31 03 2005

Sandwiched between Fiji and Australia in the South Pacific, the island
nation of Vanuatu hosted the strongest point source of sulfur dioxide
on the planet for the first months of 2005. Ambrym Volcano, on the
island of the same name, has been steadily emitting sulfur dioxide
for at least six months, and this image, produced using data
collected by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA’s Aura satellite
during the first ten days of March 2005, shows high concentrations
of sulfur dioxide drifting northwest from the volcano.

Eruption of Anatahan - part 1

Date: 31 01 2005

A long plume of sulfur dioxide extends northeast and southwest of the
Anatahan volcano in the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific
Ocean. The volcano has been erupting almost continuously since January 5,
2005, when it started its third eruption in recorded history.
This image, collected by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA's Aura
satellite, shows sulfur dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere between
January 31 and February 4, 2005.
Read more ...

Continued eruption of Manam volcano

Date: 28 01 2005

When the Manam volcano erupted explosively in the middle of the night on
January 27, 2005, it sent a cloud of ash and sulfur dioxide over New Guinea.
The large eruption killed at least one person, injured several others, and
destroyed the volcano monitoring station on the small volcanic island. About
12 hours after the eruption (January 28), the Ozone Monitoring Instrument
(OMI) flew over on NASA's new Aura satellite. This image was produced from
preliminary, uncalibrated data provided by OMI.
Read more ...

What if, every day, a global network of students collected and shared
measurements of small solid and liquid particles suspended in the
atmosphere? Known as "aerosols" these tiny particles are important because
some of them cool Earth's climate, and some of them impair human health.
Read more ...

Up In The Air

Date: 12 01 2005

An interview in the Illinois Wesleyan Magazine with Richard Cebula,
manager of the NASA-contracted team responsible for OMI's data
processing system, and member of the U.S. OMI Science Team.
Read more ...

First Aura image: Aura Eyes Ozone Hole over Antarctica

Date: 18 12 2004

This image is the first publicly released image from the Aura mission. Acquired by
the mission's Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on September 22, 2004, the image
shows dramatically depleted levels of ozone in the stratosphere over Antarctica.

NASA Eyes Effects of a Giant 'Brown Cloud' Worldwide

Date: 15 12 2004

NASA scientists recently announced that a giant, smoggy atmospheric
"brown cloud" that forms over South Asia and Indian Ocean has
intercontinental reach, and has effects around the world.
Scientists studied the intercontinental smog or ozone processes
associated with the "brown cloud" using a new NASA technique to
combine data acquired by satellites with ozone data measured by
instruments on special weather balloons. The brown cloud is a
persistent, but moving, air mass characterized by a mixed-particle
haze, typically brown in color. It also contains other pollution,
such as ozone.
Read more ...

NASA's Aura Satellite Sheds New Light on Air Quality and Ozone Hole

Date: 14 12 2004

Launched in July of 2004, the EOS-Aura satellite research platform is
already providing the first-ever daily, direct global measurements of low
altitude or tropospheric ozone and many other pollutants that affect our
air quality. Moreover, Aura delivers its results with unprecedented clarity
over a region. The instruments onboard will help scientists monitor
pollution production and transport around the world.
Measurements taken from the satellite also offer the potential for new
insights into how climate changes influence the recovery of the
stratospheric or upper ozone layer, the protective region that shields
the Earth from ultra-violet radiation.
Read more ...

Protecting our planet's ozone layer

Date: 03 10 2004

Monitoring our planet's atmosphere has become an international priority.
As successive world summits have stressed, our future on Earth could
depend on safeguarding our environment. EuroNews 'Space' magazine
reports today from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI)
which is using instruments on several satellites to follow the evolution
of ozone around the planet.Read more ...

Aura: A Mission Dedicated to the Health of Earth's Atmosphere

Date: 17 07 2004

On July 15, 2004 at 3:02 a.m., NASA launched the Aura satellite,
the third flagship in a series of Earth-observing satellites
designed to view Earth as a whole system, observe the net results
of complex interactions within the climate system, and understand
how the planet is changing in response to natural and human influences.

Aura was exclusively designed to study the composition, chemistry,
and dynamics of the Earth’s upper and lower atmosphere by employing
four instruments on a single platform. Each instrument provides unique
and complementary capabilities that will enable daily global observations
of Earth’s atmospheric ozone layer, air quality, and key climate parameters.

NASA Launches Aura Satellite (incl. launch animation movie)

Date: 16 07 2004

At 15 July 2004 NASA launched its Aura satellite from Vandenberg Air
Force Base, California. On board 4 are 4 instruments (OMI, MLS, TES
and HIRDLS). The purpose of the mission is to help us better understand
and protect our world’s atmosphere.

Aura will help scientists answer three key questions: Is the Earth’s
protective ozone layer recovering? What are the processes controlling air
quality? How is the Earth’s climate changing?

Aura also will help scientists understand how the composition of the
atmosphere affects and responds to Earth’s changing climate. The results
from this mission will help scientists better understand the processes
that connect local and global air quality. NASA expects early scientific
data from Aura within 30-90 days.

Aura Launched, To Better Understand The Air We Breathe

Date: 15 07 2004

Aura, a mission dedicated to the health of the Earth's atmosphere,
was successfully launched today. This moment marks a tremendous
achievement for the NASA family and our international partners. We look
forward to the Aura satellite offering us historic insight into the
tough issues of global air quality, ozone recovery and climate change,
said NASA Associate Administrator for Earth Science Dr. Ghassem Asrar.
Read more ...

NASA Puts Safety First During Aura Launch

Date: 15 07 2004

NASA engineers and mission officials decided during multiple launch
attempts this week to postpone the launch of the Aura satellite to put
safety first for mission success. Aura, a mission dedicated to the
health of the Earth's atmosphere, launched successfully this morning
at 6:01:59 EDT (3:01:59 PDT).
Read more ...

NASA Launch Advisory: Aura Launch Postponed

Date: 14 07 2004

The launch of NASA's Aura spacecraft atop a Boeing Delta II rocket was
scrubbed this morning due to an issue with one of the two batteries on
the second stage of the Delta II launch vehicle. At approximately three
minutes before the scheduled liftoff time, as the batteries were being
transferred to internal power, the battery current level dropped below
prescribed limits, triggering a launch hold.
Read more ...

NASA Plans to Put an Aura Around the Earth

Date: 03 06 2004

Earth's atmosphere sustains life in all these ways, and by the
thinnest margins. If a person could cruise at a speed of 60 miles an
hour straight up, it would take just 6 minutes to exit the air we need
to survive. Considering the relatively delicacy of this thin
protective film, understanding our atmosphere goes hand in hand
with protecting life as we know it.
On June 19, NASA will launch Aura, a next generation Earth-observing
satellite that will make global observations of the ocean of air that
surrounds our planet. Aura will supply the best information yet
about the health of Earth's atmosphere.
Read more ...